Super Paper Mario: Birth of a Chaos Heart
by Megaman Trigger 2.0
Summary: This story takes place before Super Paper Mario, but also tells the story of said game. When the Dark Prognosticus is found and brought to the Castle in the wood, what will it do to young Lord Blumiere and his love Lady Timpani?
1. Chapter1 Act 1:As Pages Turn

A gentle breeze of the clearest wind blew through the entire land. Trees of green rustled in the breeze, the sweet smells of spring filled the entire town, as well as the forest outside it. Flowers of the rainbow smiled sweetly at the shining sun. Light filled every window of the town.

People began to open their doors and step outside into the sweet spring morning that had been bestowed upon the town.

Parents stood in doorways as children shot by them laughing and running through the streets.

The square was filled with activity. Was today a holiday? No, today was just a normal day for the normal town, in the normal land, in its normal dimension.

But today was also a very different day for two people, one of the town at the base of the cliff, beside the river, past the wood, and the other of the castle, hidden deep in the dark wood, past the river, at the top of the large cliff.

This old village had no name, nor did the land upon it, but there was one such girl of this town that did have a name.

Sitting in her bedroom, looking outside the large window, was a young woman with long blonde hair, wearing a blue-white dress. She had a butterfly hair pin in her hair, a sweet smile, and a beautiful face and figure.

She was the prettiest, smartest, and most sought after woman in the entire village. Every woman wanted to be her, and every man wanted to be hers.

But none could have her, nor could anyone replace her, for she was truly a person pure of heart.

Her name was Timpani. She lived in the tallest house in town, with her father and mother.

Timpani looked outside her window with a dreamy look about her, she watched as birds fluttered by and people played below.

But far away from the town, far away from peace and happiness, far away from light, was a large castle that had stood the test of time and waited for it to be one day used by the people of the town. But until that time a special group of people resided inside it.

The people of the town said they were demons, vampires, creatures of the undead, shadows that should never be touched, let alone seen.

Inside this castle were the People of Darkness, they lived deep in the castle, deep in the wood, and hated light.

One of these People of Darkness sat outside, on a stone bench, watching the dark clouds overhead float by.

While it was light and peaceful down below in the town, it was dark and storming at the castle in the wood.

This young man on the bench was a very special young man. His name was Lord Blumiere, the son of the Count of Shadows, the leader of the Tribe of Darkness which lived in Castle Variado, so named by the people in the town, for it meant Shadow.

Lord Blumiere, son of the esteemed Count of Shadows, was bored. As usual…there were no other young children to play games with inside the castle, and all the adults were busy. It would soon be the Day of Time, a day to which everyone gave thanks for life and its gifts.

So Lord Blumiere sat alone, outside his father's castle, looking at the clouds dreaming of a wonderful land where he had many friends and people to play with.

Lord Blumiere wore a long cape of white, with a black heart on it such was his family symbol, and a small white top hat. Being the son of the Count he would soon become the count and have all the lavish luxuries of his father.

His father wore the same cape, the same hat, but wore a monocle, and unlike the small shirt that was worn under his son's cape, he wore a vest and large black pendant. His cape enravled his neck in a large protrusion, however Lord Blumiere's didn't.

Once again bored, the young lord sighed and stood.

A small black bird fluttered down to his shoulder and he greeted the small animal with kindness.

"Why, hello there sir. And just who may I ask are you?" Blumiere asked in his normal gentleman's voice.

The bird squawked at him before flying away. Blumiere sighed as it left.

"If only I could leave this place as well……"

Blumiere decided that he would take a short walk around the castle grounds, even though there was naught a thing to see upon the castle gardens, but it was something to do and Blumiere welcomed the idea.

As the young lord walked around the gardens he noticed one of the guards was standing near the well in the center of the garden, which his father never took care of.

The garden, which was once a vast field of flowers and beauty, was now a rotten house of the dead. Only one plant lived on in the garden, and that was Blumiere's rose bush that he had planted when he was young, it still stood to this day, casting a beautiful light upon the shameful garden.

The guard acknowledged his superior and bowed to him.

"Hail Lord Blumiere, how are thee today?" asked the guard in a cheerful, and well rehearsed, tone.

"Though not need bow to me, I am not the Count yet…" Blumiere said, trying to make the conversation less formal.

"But though arête the son of the Lord Count, for there thee must be shown honor."

Blumiere shook his head in defeat.

"Please…I am not addressing you as a guard, I just want someone to speak with…"

The guard looked surprised but continued just the same.

"Sorry my' lord…it's just…I'm not used to you, nor your good father, speaking to me in such a…friendly gesture."

"Yes well my father can be an imbecile at times, now good sir, could you please tell me. To whom do I owe the honor of speaking to?"

"Captain Julius sir."

Blumiere smiled and sat on a stone bench beside the guard, motioning for him to sit as well.

The guard complied and the two of them spoke for a brief moment as the doors to the balcony suddenly burst with activity.

The Count rushed out and yelled down to his son.

"Blumiere! Get here this instant!"

Blumiere glanced up at his father and stood, the guard jumped so fast he almost lost his balance and fell into the well.

"Good day Count! How arête thee today?" said the guard to the Count upon the balcony.

"Fine, just get him up here!" the Count ordered as he burst through the doors again.

Blumiere sighed and walked toward the staircase in the Foyer.

Servants and guards ran all about, as did the Three Sature. The Sature's were a group of descendants from the ancients, and they were tasked with teaching and protecting the ancient's lore and history.

Blumiere walked into the Foyer and up a flight of stairs into the Grand Hall. The hall was covered in magnificent tapestries of the ancient lore and battles, as well as statues of past Counts. As Blumiere walked down the hall he saw thousands of years of history stand by him when he reached the door at the head of the hall.

Slowly pushing the door open, and ascending another flight of stairs, Blumiere entered a large Throne Room, in the center the three Sature's stood, with the Count by them. Each one seemed angered by something, but also relieved.

Blumiere stood by them, and although it was his father, bowed to him before speaking.

"What is it Father?"

The Count smirked at his son and gestured to the Three Satures.

"Great news my son, we have found it…"

Blumiere looked confused; he spoke slowly, a brief glimmer of chance in his words.

"…Found what?"

The oldest Sature, a woman clearly quite old, her skin barely clinging to her bone curtsied to the young lord and spoke.

"The Tome of old, hidden in cold, the book we sought, from wars long fought, the prophecy it tells, in evil it dwells, the Prognosticus De Sielo Darkness. Book of shadow, book of might, for its pages obliterate light, the dates it tells, of evil it spells, of events to come, and past of young, to kill and make, to steal and take, for it tells out future and past, hidden in the shadows clasp."

Blumiere stepped away from the Sature and looked at his father in shock and disbelief.

"The Dark Prognosticus!?"

"Yes son, it is ours. The power of shadows has returned home, and has found its wielder."

Today was the day that all worlds would be changed…

The book of shadows…The Dark Prognosticus…it foretells of events to come…and events long gone…its wielder fate controls, until it breaks its uttered oath…

The shadows overhead Castle Variado seemed to seethe with power. The book of ultimate darkness had been found…and was held in the hands of the holder of the crown.

The people below in the town ran inside, a great cloud of shadow was drawing near…


	2. Chapter 1 Act 2: The Fallen

Lady Timpani stood from her room inside her house and was taken aback by the sight outside. A dark cloud of purple mist was fuming from the Castle Variado upon the cliff. Turning around and racing down the stairs she met her father.

"Father, hast you seen the dark cloud outside?" Timpani asked as she greeted her father with a smile.

"Aye, and you should remain here, the cloud seethes with evil."

Timpani, who wanted to see what this cloud of dark energy was, lied, "But I have to go pick up something from the Market."

Timpani's father sighed and looked at her with a trusted smile.

"Very well…but be careful, and hurry back!"

Timpani smiled and hugged her father before running down the stair and out into the town.

The once peaceful aura of the town was gone, the gentle breeze had became a typhoon of winds, Timpani had trouble standing for a moment, but pressed onward toward the tallest point in town, the bridge at the river.

Running as fast as she could, braving the winds, Timpani ran toward the bridge. All the other townsfolk ran inside their homes, creating a flood of activate against her movements. But still she pushed her way through until she reached the bridge.

The bridge was made from stone and iron and stood quite tall, in its entirety it was the most beautiful structure that the town held. A large door on the right side allowed access to the top of the bridge, used for maintenance, but Timpani had learned how to get inside without a key.

Removing one of her hairpins, aside from the butterfly, she pried the door lock open and walked inside. She ran up the stairs and exited at the top of the structure and looked toward the castle and the cliff.

Suddenly there was a flash of lightning, Timpani screamed and threw her hands over her mouth as she saw a sight she never thought she would see.

On the cliff, a figure was falling…falling…falling down…onto the earthen ground below.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Blumiere stood in the Throne Room only a moment longer before bursting out the doors.

He and his father had done it again, once again they had fought.

"_But Father," Blumiere protested, "The Dark Prognosticus must be destroyed! It is to powerful!"_

_Blumiere's father laughed and held up the book. "This book holds the secrets of the future! With it we shall be able to guide our land into peace and prosperity!"_

_Blumiere took the book away from his father and threw it to the ground. His father and the Satures gasped._

"_Blumiere what ails you!? How dare you harm this tome!"_

"_Father, this is madness! This book contains powers you could never control!"_

_The Count scoffed and picked up the book._

"_Tis the truth dearest count, none you wield it come about, each one dies, from power and greed, two of which I know you feed!"_

_The count laughed once again and began to leave the room._

"_Thee is right…this book is to powerful for even I to wield, and so it shall be locked away…would this make thee happy Blumiere?"_

"_Quite!"_

_And so the Count locked away the Dark Prognosticus. But as he left the room one of the Satures turned to Blumiere._

"_Shadows choke the light, though will be inside thus plight, Count of Darkness you are not, but evil is your heart that rots!"_

These words floated inside Blumiere's mind as he walked toward the cliff, to look out upon the town below.

_Never got to the town Blumiere! Never speak to humans! They wish you dead!_

Blumiere remembered his father telling him these words, but why? The Humans looked kind, and gentle. Why would they hurt him? Do they fear the Tribe of Darkness?

Just as these thoughts ran through his mind the storm overhead grew worse.

Before Blumiere knew it a large bolt of lightning shot from the sky and struck the ground no more than three feet from him.

Blumiere jumped, the earth beneath him crumbled, and he fell screaming to the ground below.

As he fell he saw a figure in blue standing on the bridge run toward him…….

Blumiere blacked out as he reached the ground, and with a sickening thud hit the ground with all his force.

A girl in a blue dress ran to him and knelt down.

"Oh my…by the worlds…"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Timpani banged on the door to her home. Soon after her mother stood and opened the door, then shrieked and her hand flew to her mouth.

"Oh my….FATHER! GET OVER HERE!"

Timpani's father bounded down the stairs and ran to his wife and daughter.

"Timpani!"

Timpani was soaked in water, rain had began to fall down upon the town. She was propping the man up with her body, he was unconscious and covered in mud and blood.

"Mother! Father! Please, we must help him!"

The three of them moved the young man into the house and laid him down in a bed they had extra and set to work trying to help him.

Mother ran to the kitchen to find a bowl of water, Father ran for some medicine, and Timpani knelt at the man's side and tried to see if he would wake. His cape was torn, his hat crushed, and his arms scuffed with blood. A large gash on his head and side showed where he had fallen through a tree, and the many cuts showed as well.

His skin wasn't the same paste color of the three humans; it was a dark almost purple color.

He was not human; he was of the Tribe of Darkness…


	3. Chapter 1 Act 3: Awakening

Pain filled all of Blumiere's senses as he began to open his eyes. A long moan of pain was pushed from his lips as he opened his eyes, and felt all the pain that his body had engulfed.

_Where am I? How am I still alive? _

Suddenly Blumiere realized that he wasn't alone in the room. He looked to his right to see a young woman standing near him. She wore a blue dress and had blond brown hair that descended down her back, she was turned away from him, and had a rag in her hand, she was ringing the rag out into a bowl.

"So…you're awake?" the woman asked in a gentle calm voice.

Blumiere stirred and tried to lift from the bed, but fell back down due to the sheer pain from movement.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you…" said a male voice as the door opened.

A man wearing a brown jacket and brown matching pants and brown hair walked inside, behind him was a woman in a green dress with long blond hair.

"Mother, Father, our guest has woke up." Said the girl.

The father walked over to Blumiere and examined his face, looking deep into his eyes as if searching for something.

Blumiere backed away slightly from the human, who just grinned slightly and turned to leave the room.

"He's not welcome here Timpani! Send him out when he's able! I don't want one of Those Things in my house!"

With that the man was gone, the woman, the mom Blumiere guessed, walked up to Blumiere and took a wet rag and dabbed it against his wound on his head.

Blumiere hissed from the pain and the woman made a sympathetic face.

"You took quite a fall young man. You should be more careful."

With that the woman left, but she turned to Blumiere on the way out and winked.

"Don't worry about my husband, he just doesn't like strangers….let alone The Tribe of Darkness…"

Blumiere hissed again, not from pain but from disgust, and once again he tried to stand.

Beside the bed was a cane, one that was not there before, it was wooden and had a large blue stone at the top. Blumiere gripped it and pulled himself up, only to collapse to the floor.

The woman, Timpani as she had been called, dropped what she was doing and tried to catch Blumiere.

"What's the matter with you!? Your hurt! Rest!"

Blumiere slowly got back onto the bed, but held a confused look.

"Y-Your do not fear me?" Blumiere asked in a timid voice.

"Fear you? Why would I fear you?"

"…Indigo hair, shadows son, evil thrives in lights death, monsters, creatures, killers of light, these are things I have heard your people say of my kind…"

Timpani sighed.

"All people are the same, we are all souls that need guidance and help, what you look like doesn't matter to me, nor my mother."

Blumiere chuckled and looked away from the woman.

"Then why does your father hate me?" Blumiere asked plainly.

"Simple, he doesn't like young men my age; it's a father thing…"

Blumiere laughed a chuckle that soon turned into a cough, thus from the pain he felt as he laughed.

Timpani pushed him back down onto the bed.

"Rest…I will take good care of you…"

Blumiere smiled at her as she began to bandage the wounds on his arms.

"…My name is Blumiere…."

Timpani smiled.

"My name is Timpani; it's very nice to meet you Blumiere."

"Enchanté."

Timpani giggled and smiled at Blumiere. This was the last thing that Blumiere saw before he fell into a deep and peaceful slumber.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Count and all the Satures stood in the Throne Room looking into a large crystal ball that a man had brought into the room.

The man wore a long black robe, and had quite a long white moustache. He was quite old, and quite wise. He brought a crystal ball to the center of the room so the Count could see outside the castle.

The Count never left Castle Variado, in fact he hadn't even gone out into the garden… and so this man came to let the Count see outside, into the many worlds…

"He is where!?" exclaimed the Count as he beat his fist upon the throne.

The Satures all mumbled to themselves as the many guards and servants in the room jumped and back away in fear of their count.

The man in the robe merely shook his head.

"Lies! It is all lies! My son would never go to a human!" The Count bellowed as he jumped from the chair.

"Light so pure, girl so fair, each one will decided in the Overthere…none shall die, but many take away, as shadow and Void destroy this boy." Mumbled the Satures as they looked directly at Lord Blumiere through the crystal ball.

Two servants rushed into the room, each wearing a white robe, and tried their best until they coxed the Count to sit back down.

"My' lord please…you must remember you blood pressure!"

"Yes please, sit and rest, for all shall soon be to a test!" chimed the Satures.

The man in black shook his head again.

"I beg you sire you must go away, take your child and flee this day! You must escape, the book is dark, it will corrupt him, to the heart! Pure she is, chaos he holds! You will be the keeper of what unfolds!" spoke the man in black in a normal calm voice.

The Count shook his head as he stood once again, walking slowly toward the door.

"None shall know of this…don't even tell Blumiere…Nolrem!"

The man in black ran to his side.

"…Ready the book…"

Nolrem jumped backward, almost knocking over the Satures.

"But sir! You cannot possibly…"

"…ready the book…to be sealed…"

With that the Count stepped away, up the stairs to the Hall of Records, Nolrem sighed and looked to the Satures.

"…Is he always like this?"

The Satures chuckled.

"Evil he may act, but heart of pure he holds, protecting the book is foretold, find the young lord, and persuade him away, a heart of pureness will be born today…"

Nolrem merely sighed again and enravled himself in a cloak of magic, a small object, the size of a butterfly, floated from his cloak. It was a darkly colored ball with two eyes.

"To Flopside." Nolrem said to the ball.

Light and shadow engulfed him and he was as nothing…

The Satures bowed their heads and looked up at the painting on the ceiling. It showed eight hearts, each a color of the rainbow, and in the center a void of darkness.

"History repeats…and so it creeps…to make it's date…to kill all hate…to make us spite…to make us fear…the Chaos Heart is drawing near…"


	4. Chapter 1 Act 4: Goodbye

Blumiere tossed and turned in his bed, darkness seemed to choke him in the night. A deep sleep had become an endless nightmare.

Blumiere stood in a large black room; there were candles, each one giving off white light, illuminating only a small amount of the blackness in the room.

A figure stood at the north part of the room, sitting on a throne of black and white stone. Blumiere approached the figure cautiously and called out.

"HELLO! IS ANY ONE THERE!"

A low moan came from the figure on the throne, a low…long growl…The figure glanced upward, the light casting a dark glimmer across his face. He wore a top-hat, a long cape of white and cream, and was holding a book tightly against his person. His right eye used a monocle, and a staff, the same one that Blumiere had used to get out of bed with, was in his hands.

"….heh…heh……bleh…." the figure moaned as he held the book tighter.

"…Hello…who are thee?" Blumiere asked slowly, trying to find the right light to look at the figure in.

Lightning crashed outside the building and the entire room illuminated with white light. Blumiere jumped backward as the figure suddenly jumped at him, screaming.

"CHAOS HEART! OPEN YOUR MOUTH! ENGULF ALL WORLDS! BLECK!"

Blumiere suddenly jumped upward in the bed, sweat and fear dripped from his body as he jumped. Lightning flashed outside and a figure stood next to him, her face covered in concern and fear.

"….A-are you alright?" it was Timpani.

Blumiere sighed and lay back down in the bed.

"…I am fine…..just….a bad dream…"

Blumiere turned onto his side, away from Timpani. Timpani sighed and stood.

"…Well…talking usually helps when you have a bad dream…"

"It was nothing! Go!" Blumiere snapped at her.

Timpani sighed and backed away, toward the door. But instead of leaving the room, she just shut the door. Timpani took a chair and moved it to the side of the bed and sat down. Blumiere looked over his shoulder and was astonished to see her doing this.

"…Well then…if you won't talk, then just listen…"

Timpani smiled at Blumiere, Blumiere looked away, back at the wall, and a slight blush danced across his features. He swallowed and choked the feeling down before turning back toward her again…

"Alright…I'm listening…" Blumiere said with a toothy smile, making Timpani giggle.

And this was how the two spent their first night…Timpani spoke…and Blumiere listened…

However outside, in the storm, stood a figure clad in a dark hood and robe. His dark skin blended with the darkness around him.

The figure sighed and turned away, walking off into the storm the wind blowing his robe behind him revealing the dark skin and the black heart on his robe…

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next day Blumiere was strong enough to stand from the bed and was standing at the bookcase next to the bed, reading over the book titles.

Blumiere extended his hand and removed a book entitled, Cinderella. Pulling a chair up to the table he sat down and began to read the book.

The door opened and Timpani's mother walked inside and smiled at Blumiere kindly.

"Well hello there…it's nice to see that you're feeling better." Said the mother, who Blumiere didn't know had entered the room.

Blumiere jumped up, knocking the chair over, and bowed to the woman before speaking.

"…Um…thank you Madame…I didn't know you had entered…"

The mother giggled.

"Well, what a gentleman you are…not even my husband bows when I enter a room."

Blumiere smiled.

"Well…it is custom for the royal…….." Blumiere trailed off, he was not supposed to tell them he was the son of the Count…but Timpani seemed kind…he could tell her…

The mother raised an eyebrow and walked toward the bed, clutching the sheets and putting them into a basket she walked in with.

"Well once you are able Father wants you to leave, but do not feel rushed dear. Take your time to heal."

Blumiere shook his head.

"…As much as I wish I could find a way to thank you before I leave I must take my leave. My father shall be quite…inquisitive as to my whereabouts as of late."

The mother smiled.

"Oh you don't need to thank us, you where hurt. Dying! You needed aid, it was the least we could do."

Blumiere smiled once again and placed the book back on the shelve. The mother smiled as he put the book away.

"To do enjoy the story?" she asked in a motherly tone as she began to walk away.

Blumiere mumbled.

"Yes…it is quite…happy…"

The mother grinned and winked as she left the room.

"Take it with you, Timpani doesn't read it anymore."

Blumiere was taken back. "Really?"

"Sure, just take good care of it."

Blumiere lifted his hat. "I shall guard it will my life Madame."

Timpani walked slowly down the stair and met her mother as she began to ascend.

"Our guest is awake, and moving!"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Count paced back and forth in h the Throne Room, a confused grin covered his face.

"Why? How? What makes him think he can go into a human's home!?" the Count exclaimed to the Satures.

"Perhaps he didn't know? Perhaps it was chance? Perhaps you saw wrong? Or maybe a reason burns as to he among them?"

The Count spat the words as he spoke.

"You fools! Quiet! My son is no fool!"

A servant and a guard burst into the room and bowed to the count before they spoke. Both were out of breath.

"Sire! The young Lord Blumiere! He has left the human dwelling!"

The Count suddenly burst through the doors toward the castle grounds. He shoot his glance toward the town and saw the figure of his son walking through the wood behind the town, limping, and behind him…

"GUARDS! BRING ME MY SON THIS INSTANT!" bellowed the Count to his men.

For the sight that the Count saw was one he never thought would grace his eyes.

A human, a woman, was walking by his son.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Blumiere stopped walking as he reached the halfway mark in the wood. Timpani looked at him with slight sorrow.

"I must go Timpani; my father already knows that I have been near a human. If he was to even see a human near me he would kill them. Please go back."

Timpani smiled and sighed at him.

"…Well…Blumiere…it was nice to meet you…but try and be more careful."

Blumiere bowed to Timpani and extended a red rose to her, from which had been hidden in his robes. Timpani took the rose with a smile, and a blush. The blush that danced across her face was seen by Blumiere who in turn blushed.

"…Au plaisir de vous revoir…until we meet again…" Blumiere said with a smile.

Timpani smiled and curtsied to him as he left.

"…Goodbye…Lord Blumiere…."


	5. Chapter 2 Act 1: Forbidden!

Blumiere slowly walked up the stone paved road to the castle gates, guards stood all around glaring shards of relief and pain at him. Apparently the young lord had indeed been missed, and his father no doubt knew of his time in the human village.

Blumiere slowly opened the door to the Foyer, the Satures stood inside all three staring at him blankly.

"Dreams…fears…shedding tears…light…forever hidden in plight…war…shall engulf us amore…darkness waits…its power fumes…waiting for the heart…the heart of doom…"

Blumiere looked at them confused.

"Where is Father?"

"Forest…River…Mountain…Town…Castle…Soon to be crowned…Count of Shadows, he shall see…that you will stop him, just you see…..Count of Darkness and of void, lost of mind and heart you are…soon the sun shall shine there…and love of pure is not your cure…"

Blumiere shook his head and walked past the Satures and ascended the stairs toward the Throne Room.

The Satures looked at one another.

"…Shall he live?"

"Shall he die?"

"A heart of Chaos?"

"A heart of love?"

"May the light hidden by shadow watch his moves, for Count he shall soon be…"

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Timpani sat in her room at home, in her hand she held the rose that Blumiere had given her. The rose was red, red as the blood that had been wiped from him, the stem green, as green as the grass to which he fell, and the thorns sharp, as sharp as the words that he father had said about Blumiere.

The rose, however beautiful it was, brought Timpani a small glimmer of sorrow.

_Why?_ She asked herself. _Why am I sad that he has gone?_

Timpani had enjoyed being around Blumiere, he, however quite rough at first, was quite kind, gentle, and sweet. Blumiere had told Timpani all about his kind and their traditions; in turn Timpani had explained the humans to Blumiere.

Blumiere had become fascinated by humans, and Timpani had become fascinated by the Dark Tribe. But Blumiere was gone…and Timpani doubted she would ever see him again.

Slowly Timpani stood and walked toward the door to the staircase out of her room when her father burst into the room.

"Father! What is it?"

Her father's face was covered in fear. "Come!"

The two of them ran down the stair, outside, and out into the square. Everyone had gathered at the center of town.

"What's going on?" Timpani asked as she walked into the circle of people, suddenly she gasped and covered her mouth with her hands.

Lying in the center of the circle was child…a human child…

The mayor, Madame Rose, suddenly walked up and started to shoo people away from the child.

The child was clutching a note. The mayor bent down and grabbed the note.

"What is it Mayor?" asked one of the men who owned a general store.

"It is a note…from the Castle Variado…"

"What does it say Madame Mayor?" asked Timpani's father.

"…….Stay away from us and we will stay away from you. One of your kind has broken a law; if she shall do it again….measures will be taken… Signed the Count of Castle Variado…"

Timpani backed away from the crowd, Blumiere's father…the Count had sent a threat to her…she had to speak with Blumiere! She had to tell him! She had to make the Count leave the town alone!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Blumiere was astonished, he backed away from his father.

"WHAT!?"

"I know what has happened Blumiere, and I do thank the human that you are alive…but do you have any idea what they could have done to thee?"

"But Father, you are wrong! The humans are not monsters as you say! They are kind! Gentle! They took me in and cared for me, as if I was family!"

"They could have killed you!"

"NO! They are kind…"

"I don't care Blumiere! It is told that humans and us must never mix! For they bring upon darkness that will never be broken!"

"But Father…"

"No buts!"

"I hate you…" Blumiere muttered.

The Count shrugged and turned away.

"It matters not…I forbid you to see her."

Blumiere stepped toward his father, and with a dark demanding and threatening voice growled, "What?"

The Count turned around to his son and bellowed into his face, to emphasize his point.

"I FORBID YOU TO SEE THE GIRL!"

"HER NAME IS TIMPANI! AND SHE IS KIND, JUST AS THEY ALL ARE!"

The Count stepped toward the door.

"…Then you are a fool….as was your mother…"

The Count slammed the door as he left, leaving Blumiere in the Throne Room alone….

_Alone…that's what I've always been……_

Blumiere ran to the door to his room, ran inside, grabbed the book that Timpani's mother had given him, grabbed the cane he had taken from their home, and ran, still feeling pain, out of the castle and into the wood outside. Tears of pain, not from his wounds, but from his father's words, streaked down his face as he ran into the deep dark wood.

_I hate him…I never will talk to him again! I hope he dies!_ Blumiere yelled in his mind as he fell to his knees in the center of the wood…alone…all alone…just as he had always been…

Alone…

Scared…

Bored…

And in Pain…


	6. Chapter 2 Act 2: Father and Son

Timpani ran through the wood, searching for the path to Castle Variado. If only she could speak to the Count, maybe she could change his mind about humans. As she ran she heard a soft moan and sniff from the right side of the wood.

Timpani stopped running and walked toward the sound, she saw a figure on the ground crying. Slowly walking Timpani stood over the figure and knelt down to it…it was Blumiere!

"Lord Blumiere!" Timpani exclaimed.

"Lady Timpani!" Blumiere yelled as he suddenly jumped to his feet to bow to her, but Timpani grabbed his arms to stop him.

Blumiere looked into her eyes and blushed slightly, Timpani did the same and they both broke their gaze as another flash of lighting was heard far away. The storm had gotten worse.

"Timpani…why are you here?" asked Blumiere as he turned away from her.

"……..I wanted to see you…is that so wrong?" Timpani asked as she walked up behind him.

Blumiere sighed and walked to a large stone on the ground. He tapped it with his cane and uttered a few words in a language that Timpani didn't recognize. The stone flashed with purple light and shifted into the form of a stone bench, a simple one, but a place to sit no less.

Blumiere sat and Timpani walked to his side.

"…May I sit next to you Blumiere?"

Blumiere paused…sighed…smiled and gestured for her to sit.

"I would be honored to have your company." Blumiere said as Timpani sat next to him.

The two began to talk a great length but they were cut short by a bellow of yells from the castle.

"What was that?" Timpani asked, as fear ran rampant through her body.

"…Timpani…run…"

"What?"

"RUN! GO HOME! NOW!"

Two guards were seen marching down the hill, with what seemed to be hounds, at their feet.

"But Blumiere!"

"Run! If Father learns that you where hear he would kill you! GO!"

Blumiere pushed Timpani hard, knocking her backward onto the ground. Timpani sighed and gasped before she ran again, the guards were getting closer.

Timpani vanished into a sea of trees, just in time, for the guards had just now reached Blumiere.

"Lord Blumiere! What are you doing out here?"

Blumiere was sitting on the stone bench reading the book that he had brought with him. The guards looked confused.

"What? Can I not read in privacy?" asked the young lord. The guards scratched their heads and looked at their lord confused.

"We thought we heard a voice…a female voice…"

"Tis something that happens with one runs through the wood on such dark a night, you hear things. Shall it make you feel better if I was to walk back to the castle with you all?"

"…Your father wishes you safe, so you are to come with us."

Blumiere smiled and shut his book.

"Then let us go…"

He said walking with the guards.

_Timpani…I hope you got away…_

But standing in the forest, unknown to Blumiere or Timpani was a man clad in black.

"….So…this….is the Count…….hmhmhmhm…."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Count sat in his throne waiting for his son to arrive.

"That boy has defied me…."

"Sun Moon, Star, Shine, all things light shall now be mine! Darkness seethes and you shall fall! You have made a monster, he shall call! The darkness of the book shall be held, and you will be the first in the tale to be fell…"

The Count looked over at the Satures and cursed them with many profane words before returning his glance to the doorway.

Blumiere slowly pushed through the doors, his father did not look happy…

"And just where were you?" asked the Count.

"I was in the woods, reading if you must know."

The Count stood slowly, his cape was torn…

"…Blumiere…why are you acting this way? First you spend your time with that human, then you run from me, and now you lie!"

Blumiere sighed and turned away from his father.

"Clearly you have gone mad; I have done no such thing. I told you where I was and that is that."

The Count growled and stood; out of nowhere a man in black appeared.

The Count gestured to the man that now stood before Blumiere.

"Blumiere I would like you to meet Nolrem, he is a wise man from the land of Flopside, he has came here as a seer, to show me what shall happen to the Dark Prognosticus…"

Nolrem bowed to the young lord and walked over to the Counts side.

"Blumiere…Nolrem has showed me the future……you have betrayed us…"

Blumiere suddenly shot around. "WHAT!?"

"We know of a heart, we know of a love, we know of you and your little friend, and soon a curse shall be sent."

"NO!"

"I will give you one last chance Blumiere…leave Timpani alone! Leave all the humans alone, or I will destroy the girl!"

Blumiere ran at his father, trying to kill him with blast of magic from his cane, screaming.

"WHY!?"

"…Blumiere…humans are corrupt…dangerous…humans and our tribe shall never mix! IT IS LAW!"

"THEN CHANGE IT!" Blumiere yelled as he now stood nose to nose with his father.

Nolrem shook his head and walked away.

"Death comes swiftly if you dare, and now it shall fall like rain…"

The Count chuckled and looked his son in the eye with the darkest daggers he had ever shot him with.

"…Blumiere…"

"Father…she is kind…no one else, not even you, have been kind to me the way she has been! You never helped me! You never played with me! You never read me stories! YOU NEVER EVEN CARED IF I GOT HURT! BUT SHE DID! SHE TOOK CARE OF ME! SHE IS MY FRIEND! AND I WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO PROTECT HER!"

The Count simply shrugged.

"…Then may death be brought upon you and that wretched girl!"

This was the moment where Blumiere decided…he must get rid of his father…


	7. Chapter 2 Act 3: Love in Shadow

It had been two days since the Count of Variado had banned Timpani and Blumiere to see each other. It was quite strange really. Timpani had done naught to anger him, nor did she do anything to Lord Blumiere, but yet she couldn't see him.

To make matters worse the mayor, Madame Rose, had decided that the people that lived in the castle were a force to which wanted to destroy the town, so now the townsfolk were going to try and kill the Count and all the people of the Dark Tribe.

It had been noon when the mayor made the announcement, and Timpani had been there.

"_Attention everyone! As your mayor I wish to keep you all safe! And so I hereby declare that the Dark Tribe, which thrives inside the Castle Variado, must be destroyed, for the greater good of the human race!"_

_Timpani jumped up from her seat._

"_NO! THERE PEOPLE ARE KIND!"_

_The room was filled with gasps._

"_And how would you know of this?" asked the mayor_

"……_..because…I am friends with one of them!"_

_The entire room was filled with gasps, her mother and father stood._

"_Your honor please disregard our daughter! She must have gone mad from all the events lately! We assure you all that she doesn't know any of those Creatures!"_

_Timpain turned to her parents._

"_Mother! Father! You where there! You saw him! You know!"_

_The mayor gasped, as did everyone else._

"_What's worse! She is friends with one of the men from that retched race! That is it! The Dark Tribe is to be destroyed! To protect the people of this town, they must be killed!"_

Timpani sat looking out her window, tears falling down her face.

If all the Dark Tribe was like Blumiere than many innocents would be killed…she had to stop it! She had to stop a war!

Timpani ran to her bed and pulled the sheets off from it. Running to the window she let the sheets fall, creating a rope with which she could climb out. Slowly she moved her way down the rope and ran down the dark streets of the town, praying she could find Blumiere in time.

At this same time a large army of the townsfolk marched up the mountain, toward the castle, to kill the Dark Tribe…and Blumiere.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Blumiere sat in his room, the tallest tower of the castle, and looked out. Suddenly he jumped up, he saw the army of humans marching this way.

_Wait…if father sees them he will have them killed…..NO! What if Timpani!_

Blumiere suddenly ran to his bookshelf that was propped on the right wall, using all his strength he pushed it aside revealing a staircase. A hidden escape route…

Blumiere grabbed his cane, hat, and cape. Clasped them on, and ran down the stair.

_Please Timpani…be safe…_

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Count was sitting in the Throne Room, his harm propping his head up, fighting off sleep. He had a feeling that something bad was going to happen.

"LIES LIES! WORTHLESS FLIES!" cried the Satures as they burst into the room.

The Count looked up at them, astonished that they had not entered formally.

"What ails you Satures?"

"Evil marches up the hill, each one ready to find and kill!"

The Count stood and slammed his cane into the floor, Nolrem appeared next to him.

"Nolrem! Show me the humans!"

Nolrem lifted his crystal ball and everyone looked into it.

A large army of the humans, carrying torches and swords, marched to the gate outside. Each one with the intent to kill.

The Count looked to the captain of the guard who had just ran into the room.

"EVERYONE TO ARMS! AWAKE! AWAKE! TO ARMS!"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Timpani ran through the wood and reached the spot that she had met Blumiere in two days prior. She sat down to rest, she had ran far and hard to reach where she did. But the army had already reached the gate, it was too late.

A voice, as quiet as wind, whispered to the night.

"………..Timpani….."

Timpani glanced around, searching for whoever made the noise.

"….Please…..run away…far….far away…."

It was Blumiere's voice, but he was nowhere around.

"BLUMIERE! PLEASE! I NEED YOU! PLEASE!"

But there was no one there, no one but the bugs and animals of the wood.

Timpani fell to her knees as she heard a loud bang and a volley of screams from the castle, the attack had begun.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Count stood in the Throne Room as the army reached the gates.

"Everyone to arms! Protect the book!" called the Count.

"Light…shadow…never ending fight….in this plight we shall see…the war will end this land…"

The Count suddenly turned toward where Blumiere's room was. Nolrem stood at the Count's side.

"Does something ail you my lord?"

The Count smiled.

"I am needed elsewhere…Nolrem…take the Prognosticus and go…go to Flopside…with speed…"

The Count walked away, toward the stair to Blumiere's room.

The Satures screamed as the castle shook from the force of the people outside.

"WAR! DEATH! THE END OF ALL WORLDS! DARK BOOK! DEATH! WE SHALL FALL! WHILE HE STANDS TALL!"

The Count burst into Blumiere's room, only to find that the young lord was gone.

A low growl began to form in the Count's throat, one of wich was heard inside and outside the castle.

"BLUMIERE!!!!!!!!"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Blumiere ran out into the dark night and saw the army attacking the gate, each one pounding on it, demanding entrance. Running with all his might the young lord ran, trying to find Timpani before it was too late.

Suddenly a voice rocked the wood, his father.

"BLUMIERE!!!!!!!!!"

His father knew…it was too late…Timpani was to die this night, unless Blumiere could save her.

_Timpani…please…be safe…_


	8. Chapter 3 Act 1: All Hail Count Bleck

Blumiere burst through the wood, with the wind at his feet, there she was! There was Timpani! Timpani sat in the wood, just were they had both been before, she looked as though she were waiting for something.

"Timpani!" cried Blumiere.

"Blumiere!" Timpani cried as she ran to him, clutching to him crying.

Blumiere blushed violently, but held her and tried to calm her.

"What's wrong?" Blumiere asked.

Tears fell down Timpani's face, faster than the rain overhead.

"….Your father…he wishes to kill me! And now my father and mother, they wish to kill you!"

_War…death…sorrow…pain…and all shall begin again…_

Suddenly lightning crackled through the sky, splitting a tree nearby. Timpani screamed and burrowed her face into Blumiere's chest.

Blumiere held her close and watched as the army broke the gate and entered the castle.

"…Timpani…let us go."

Timpani looked up at Blumiere with tear filled eyes.

"What?"

"Let us go…far away…to a land where we can be together and none can stop us…"

Timpani cried more and more as she held onto Blumiere tighter.

"…yes….yes……take me away….please….take me away…."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Count growled as he burst into the room where the Dark Prognosticus was held. Quickly he grabbed the book, tucked it into his robe, and ran out the door into the rain.

_This ends now!_

The Count stood on the balcony and held the book up in the air.

"DARKNESS GIVE ME A GIFT! DESTROY THE GIRL WHO STARTED THIS! KILL HER NOW, I DON'T CARE HOW! SEND HER AWAY, TO LIVE ANOTHER DAY!"

The pages of the book began to turn and a black vortex shot from the book into the clouds above. Rays of purple light showered down upon the town and castle. The Dark Prognosticus…was awake…

A bolt of purple energy shot from the clouds and struck the wood…

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Timpani was practically laying on Blumiere, he had been holding her when a bolt of lightning had struck again, scaring her, she had pushed onto him and knocked him to the ground.

The two of them lay there, looking deep into each other's eyes. They couldn't feel the rest of the world, only each other. Timpani looked so…beautiful…so…pure…so…

"TIMPANI LOOK OUT!" Cried Blumiere as he thrust her off of him, jumping up to block a downpour of purple energy that had been hurtling straight for her, to kill her…

Timpani screamed.

"BLUMIERE!"

Blumiere cried out in pain as he absorbed the dark energy from the purple ray, he then fell to the ground in a heap, leaving Timpani unprotected.

Timpani ran to his side and began to shake him, trying to wake him up.

"BLUMIERE! NO! PLEASE! WAKE UP! BLUMIERE!"

In the distance there was a dark laugh as thousands of screams were heard. Another bolt of the dark energy hurtled toward Timpani, but this one had no one else to strike. It hit her, hard and sent her to the ground screaming in pain.

As if by reflex Blumiere woke up, filled with pain, and rolled over to Timpani's side. He lat at her side, his hand slide into hers and he looked her deep in the eyes.

"Timpani…….."

Tears trailed down Blumiere's face, each one fell landing on Timpani.

"…Blumiere…."

A dark cloud engulfed Timpani, leaving only her head exposed from the darkness. Timpani raised her hand to Blumiere's cheek and placed it there.

Blumiere cried, and leaned down toward Timpani…

Another scream and bellow was heard from the castle.

The two friends, Timpani and Blumiere, were now…kissing…

But as they kissed it did not last long, for Timpani began to feel a weak feeling fill her and the cloud engulfed her all the way.

"T-TIMPANI! NO!"

The last words that Blumiere heard from her where three words, three words that would haunt him forever.

"….I love you…"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Filled with anger Blumiere burst into the throne room of the castle, his father stood on the balcony, the Dark Prognosticus in his hands.

"Father!" Blumiere bellowed down the hall.

The Count turned to Blumiere and snickered.

"So have you given up yet son?"

"Father! YOU KILLED HER!" Blumiere yelled running at his father.

The Count suddenly burst into a mass of shadow and moved to the right, reforming. Blumiere almost fell off the balcony.

The Count swung his fist around and struck Blumiere sending him to the floor of the Throne Room.

"I have had enough of your disobedience! I'm going to get rid of these stupid through of yours! The girl is gone! Forget her!"

"NEVER!"

Blumiere ran at his father again, this time the Count stepped to the side, his son tripped and fell.

"See…weak…this is what love does to you!"

Blumiere jumped up and punched his father, right in the nose.

The Count screamed, stumbled backward, and fell toward the ground. He was now hanging by the end of his cape from the balcony.

Blumiere picked up the Dark Prognosticus where his father dropped it and stood over his father.

"…NO! Blumiere don't! I only used the spells on the front of the book! She is not dead, merely lost in the many worlds!"

Blumiere opened the book, a dark wind surrounded him, his face distorted, his mind twisted, his hat and cape grew longer, his eyes became sharper. He glared at his father, grabbed the monocle from his father's face, placed it on, took his cane and lifted up the book.

"Then go join her Count of Variado!"

"BLUMIERE NO!"

Blumiere turned away from his father, but glared over his shoulder.

"…no…I am not Blumiere….he is dead……"

The Count looked at Blumiere in shock.

"…My name is Count Bleck, and you would do well to remember it!"

Bleck took his cane and stabbed it down onto his father's cape, pulled, and ripped it away. His father fell, just as he had done, all the way…down….down……..down………..thud….

Bleck opened his cape around him and read the first page of the book.

"Darkness….Void! Chaos! Destroy the pure hearts! Kill this world! For I am Count Bleck, wielder of the Dark Prognosticus! DESTROYER OF WORLDS! BLEH HEH HEH HEH HEH BLECK!"

A large dark tornado engulfed Count Bleck and stretched upward into the sky. It touched the storm overhead and the storm died away. In its place was a large black hole, a hole filled with purple dark energy.

"DARK PROGNOSTICUS! DESTROY ALL WORLDS!"

The large hole overhead stretched far and wide, everything it touched fell and died. Count Bleck simple teleported away…but the land he had known…his father…Timpani's mother and father….

Each one died at the hands of The Evil Count Bleck………


	9. Chapter 3 Act 2: A Sorrowful Count Bleck

The winds had died here…as had everything…nothing existed here…this land of shadow.

The entire land was nothing, all that was there was a small patch of burnt grass and a lone tree. But in this land of nothing…was something.

Slowly small figure spun into life, beside him floated a book. The man gripped his hat and cane with ivory gloved hands, slowly he moved toward the lone tree.

"….Bleh heh……so…I am free from him…how grand freedom feels…" said Blumiere…..no….Count Bleck.

The book beside him floated forward and floated onto the ground, a burst of wind shot by, and the book opened to the last chapter. Bleck moved forward and looked at the book.

"….Destroy all worlds?....yes…destroyer of worlds….So tell me, just how am I to destroy all worlds?"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Timpani suddenly tripped, falling down to her knees. Tears streamed down her face.

"BLUMIERE! WHERE ARE YOU! WHERE ARE YOU! I NEED YOU! PLEASE! I NEED YOU!"

Pulling herself along she stumbled down the road, a large house was seen nearby.

"…A house! A HOUSE! HELLOOOO!! HELP! PLEASE! HELP!"

Timpani ran toward the house with all her strength, but she was so weak…she fell upon the door…and felt a black cloak of death cover her….

Timpani was alone…lost…and dying….

The door opened slowly and a man stepped out, suddenly jumping backward he ran inside, then emerged again. He used his magic to pick up Timpani and took her to a large door to the south. The door opened and a man in a blue robe with a long moustache emerged.

"By the love of…Bestovius! Who is this!?" cried the man in blue.

"I know not Merlon, but we must help her!"

Merlon and Bestovius took the girl and carried her through the door, a door as red as love…as red as the love for Blumiere that Timpani had…and just as pure….for she…was pure of heart…

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Merlon paced back and forth as the girl lay in a bed at the inn, the mistress of the inn stood behind Merlon.

"Master Merlon…how is she?" the woman asked slowly.

"…I know not…but we must help…she is quite ill…I want you to go and ready some soup for her. Scurry!"

The woman ran outside, down the street, into an elevator, and into a large diner. She ran to the table and spoke to another woman behind the counter.

"Saffron! You will not believe what happened! There is a girl in my inn, and she needs food! Master Merlon demands it!"

Saffron jumped back and grabbed her pots and pans.

"Leave it to me shug, you just keep the young'n going until I get there!"

The mistress ran away, back into the elevator, and back into the inn.

The entire town was standing outside the door. No more than a moment latter Saffron burst through the door and ran over to Merlon.

"Master Merlon, where is the poor thing."

"There! Please, we must do something…she looks so frail…"

As Saffron forced down some soup Merlon walked outside and greeted the inhabitants of the town.

"Everyone please…calm down…"

"Master Merlon what's going on!?"

"Who is this girl?"

"Why is Saffron in such a hurry?"

"Why are you in such a huff?"

"What's going on?"

Merlon heard all these things at te same time and suddenly bellowed, louder than all the shouts, making the hole town shake with his voice.

"SILENCE!"

Everyone jumped and shut up in turn.

"Now…would everyone please return to their homes…everything is fine…"

Everyone turned away and walked back to their homes. Everyone except a young girl.

She wore a yellow dress with white poke-a-dots, and had long hair that was put into two ponytails.

"Merlon, what's going on?" the girl asked in a sweet voice.

"Ah, Mimi…do not worry my dear…all is well…you should return to your home, wouldn't want your mother and father to worry. Run along." Merlon said as he shooed her away.

Mimi frowned and walked away, toward the gate out of town.

…_Merlon…what is it?_

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"A evil king and a woman pure of heart must merge at the altar and the Chaos Heart will be born…" said the book aloud.

"…Yes…destroy all worlds….yes….i will do it…they took away my Timpani…and so I will take them away…."

A cloud of sorrow hung over the Count as he looked out upon his land, a large land filled with nothing.

"Black and empty…just like my heart…….."

Tears fell down the Counts face as he stood looking up at the sky.

"HEAR ME WORLDS! FOR I AM BLECK! DESTROYER OF LOVE AND PEACE! ALL WORLDS ARE TO BE DESTORYED FOR ALL ARE IMPURE! ALL ARE HORRID! ALL ARE DESTRUCTIVE! And all……."

The count trailed away as he began to weep again.

"……took away my Timpani…………"

The Dark Prognosticus seemed to smile. It had a way to use its power, it had its puppet. And it was now content... for soon…all worlds would be as nothing…

"I AM COUNT BLECK! I AM THE LORD OF DARKNESS! I WILL DEVOUR ALL WORLDS AND THEY WILL ALL FEEL THE PAIN IN MY HEART!"

Nothing responded to the count….nothing…all that was near was a bat….

A small bat that hung from the tree……and begged for a friend….


	10. Chapter 3 Act 3: The Search for Timpani

The Count sat alone under the tree reading the Dark Prognosticus. Each page filled him with sorrow, for each page reminded him of Timpani. No matter what he did he couldn't get her out of his mind. The Count stood and walked toward a small patch of burnt grass.

"…Alone…again…all alone…"

The Dark Prognosticus floated over to the counts side and began to flutter about.

"What do you want?" the count asked as the book looked at him.

"…You can change this world you know…" said a dark voice, one of which the Count guessed was the book.

"What?"

"This world…it's a blank canvas…use you powers to change it! Make it your world!"

Count Bleck smiled. His own world…peace…love…a world without war…a world of peace…

The Count lifted his cane and drew a mountain to the east, and to his surprise a mountain popped right up where he put it!

The Count began drawing all sorts of things into his world. Trees, rivers, mountains, and then he drew a large grand castle that stretched as high as the sky above…there was just one problem…everything was black and white…

Count Bleck sighed, sat down, and admired his work. The mountains were perfect, the river was grand, and the castle was gothic. Everything was black and white, dead like his heart.

But the Count turned toward the book once more and spoke to it.

"Dark Prognosticus…can you show me Timpani?"

The book shook from side to side.

"Alas I cannot, I can only show things that I know where they are…"

Count Bleck sighed and stood he admired his world as he began to think.

_Where could Timpani be…_

Suddenly he had a thought and grabbed the book with both hands.

"I want you to teach me how to go between dimensions and worlds! I MUST FIND TIMPANI!"

The book seemed to grin.

"Very well…" it said as a cloud of dark energy engulfed the book and the Count.

Overhead a small bat flew, watching the event, and then it left, and flew away into the castle.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Merlon sat at the edge of his seat. The girl was no more, in her place was a Pixl…a butterfly… the mistress of the inn stood next to Merlon and sighed.

"…So…do you think she will last?"

Merlon chuckled and looked at the mistress before picking up the butterfly and leaving.

"She shall be fine…once she wakes…"

Merlon took the small pixl to his home and laid her down onto a table to rest. After a long moment the pixl stirred and fluttered into the air lightly.

"…Hello there." Merlon said to the pixl.

"…Hi…where am I?"

Merlon bowed to the pixl.

"My name is Merlon my dear, and this is the town of Flipside…"

The pixl smiled and looked around.

"…Who am I?" she asked after a moment.

Merlon wiped his brow and sat back in his chair.

"….Oh my…….."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"It's no use! Your stupid powers don't work!" Bleck cried as he threw the book at the wall. The book bounced off the wall before it even hit it, a barrier shot up around it. The book then ascended into the air.

"It is not I that are having the problems with the simplest magic spell Count Bleck."

Count Bleck glared at the book and threw his cane at it.

"SHUT UP!"

Bleck sighed and fell into his chair. He felt weak, tired, and lonely.

"Book…please…just grant me some way to find Timpani…"

The book seemed to think for a moment before it spoke again.

"Very well…tell me where you want to go and I will take you there."

Bleck jumped up and ran to the book.

"Take me somewhere green, where the plants and people are all happy! Timpani loved to see people happy!"

The book suddenly dissipated, and the Count along with it, but they also took another…a small little bat.

The Count stood in a large swamp like area, but it was beautiful in the setting sun.

He glanced around searching for any sign of people. That was when he saw a large mansion up the road. Count Bleck flipped again, his own way of teleporting, and flipped back in front of the large mansion. The count knocked on the large door and a woman opened it.

"Hello my dear, you seem to have fear? Can I help?"

Count Bleck tipped his hat and smiled at the woman.

"Hello Madame…I'm searching for a woman, she wears a blue dress and has long blond brown hair, her name is Timpani…have you seen such a girl?"

The woman chuckled.

"Why yes I have my dear."

Count Bleck almost collapsed from excitement, but he merely smiled at the woman.

"Where, if I may be so blunt."

"In my crystal ball of course, she how wants to be yours, she is hurt and lies in wake of you, she is quite scared and hopes for you."

Count Bleck grew angry by the woman's rhyming.

"WHERE IS SHE!?" Bleck cried as he began to take a much more fearful tone with the woman.

The woman stepped backward.

"…Fear not she is safe…"

"I WANT TO KNOW WHERE! TELL ME!" Count Bleck bellowed, each word making the entire house seem to shake.

"…Darkness has taken hold of you…I can cure it if you should ask."

"TELL ME WHERE SHE IS!"

The book floated above the doorway, it spoke in a hush to the count.

"Let us go…she doesn't know…"

The Count cursed as he walked away. Once again he flipped away, searching for Timpani again.

Green fields and flowers surrounded them as they flipped into a new world.

Trees filled with color stood tall, flowers smiled at the sun, and water pattered along the rocks.

"Where are we?" Bleck asked the book.

"LineLand…" the book said plainly.

Bleck walked toward a large house that he saw to his right and knocked on the door. A man opened the door and smiled at Bleck.

"Hello sir, may I help you? You seem troubled."

"I am quite…have you seen a woman in a blue dress with blond brown hair?"

The man thought for a long moment…

"….Why yes…I believe so…"

"Where?"

"…I'm sorry…but I'm afraid she is dead…"

The man shut the door, Count Bleck stepped backward and fell onto the ground.

Tears streamed down his face, Timpani was dead…gone from all worlds…he was alone…forever…

Hate and sorrow choked the count, he growled as he stood and shook his cane into the air.

"ALL WORLDS WILL BE DESTROYED! FOR YOU HAVE KILLED HER, BELLOWED COUNT BLECK!"


	11. Chapter 4 Act 1: The First Recruit

Count Bleck sat in his throne room, sighing as he looked at the Dark Prognosticus. The Castle Bleck was enormous…and empty…the castle was much to grand for a man and a book…Bleck was lonely…without Timpani his heart felt black and as if a void had swallowed it hole.

A look of sorrow and boredom was scrawled across the count's face as he read pages of the book. The Count had only just begun to read the tome when he heard a rattling noise from outside. The Count at first dismissed the sound and read on, and then it came again.

"KEE! KEE!"

Count Bleck looked around and saw the figure of a small animal outside his hall; out in the small void of a field a small creature was trapped. The night before a strong wind swept across the land, why? Because the count was filled with sorrow, as he cried the weather in his world became treacherous.

Count Bleck stood and looked outside the window, the figure was lying on the ground a large tree branch had pinned it down by what seemed to be its wing.

Bleck muttered to himself as he descended the stair and exited his throne room, then down the hall we walked, through a massive room of clocks, through another hall, down two flights of stairs, and through a maze of halls, then through a hall and out the door.

All the way the Dark Prognosticus floated by his side, as if a shadow to follow his every move.

Count Bleck worked his way up the hill toward the tree and saw that the creature that had been pinned to the ground was a bat, a small frail bat.

Count Bleck bent toward the bat.

"Hello there…are you alright?" the count asked the bat, as if it would answer. The bat made its normal sounds and pulled on its wing again.

Count Bleck made a slight click and put a gloved hand toward the large branch. He then muttered some words in an old language and the tree branch burst into a cloud of darkness and floated away. The bat fluttered up to the count and seemed to smile at him.

The bat had one large hole in its wing, as well as a large gash in its center. Count Bleck grabbed the bat and looked at the wounds on it; the bat had lost a large amount of blood and still did. A small pool of blood sat at the counts feet.

Count Bleck frowned and raised his cane to the bat and began to mutter a few words. A burst of light jumped from the staff to the bat. The wounds glistened with light and slowly began to close.

Once the wounds had healed the bat chimed a happy tune and fluttered into the air. Count Bleck felt a slight smile cross his face as she watched the bat flutter around him.

"I am quite glad you art alright…you must be more careful…now run along…err…flutter." Count Bleck said shooing the bat away.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Merlon stood at his bookshelf pulling different books down and reading short lines from them, comparing them to another large white book he held in his hand.

The butterfly pixel floated near his shoulder reading over the large white book. After a moment the pixl fluttered to the window.

"…Merlon?" the pixl asked in a lonely sigh.

Merlon looked up at the pixl and smiled.

"What is it young one?"

The pixl sighed and turned toward him.

"…Do you think I will ever regain my memory?"

The pixl hadn't been able to regain her name, where she came from, or who she was, every since she woke.

Merlon smiled at her.

"Do not worry my dear…it will all return in time…"

Merlon placed a gloved hand on the pixl, a sudden bolt of memory shot through the pixl and it shrieked with joy.

"Tim…Tip….TIPPI! MY NAME! I REMEMBER!"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next day Count Bleck sat in his large throne room reading over the Dark Prognosticus. The Count sighed and looked out a window; rain whipped the landscape creating a white drape over the normal black fields and sky.

Suddenly there was a loud bang, not a bang of thunder. Nor the sound of something falling. But a sound that the count recognized as the beat of a hand upon a door. But not just any door, the door to his throne room!

Count Bleck shouted out into the empty air of the castle.

"Door open!"

As if to follow his command the door opened and a girl in a white dress suit with purple red hair pulled back wearing a pair of pointed glasses jumped, surprised that the door opened by itself.

Count Bleck stood and bellowed into the darkness of the room.

"ENTER!"

The girl slowly moved forward, once she had gotten far from the door it slammed shut behind her. Count Bleck grabbed the Dark Prognosticus and placed it on a podium next to the chair.

The girl stopped once she reached about a foot distance from the count and stuttered as she spoke.

"H-Hello…"

Count Bleck looked at the girl with a curious glimmer in his eyes.

"Hello Madame…and just how did you get here?"

The girl smiled and had a serious look about her.

"…Thank you…."

The Count's look of curiousness grew and he starred at her more.

"Thank you? For what?"

"…For helping me yesterday…"

The count's eyes showed a glimmer of memory, the bat!

"…I was the bat…and I want to thank you somehow…"

The Count turned away from her.

"…I need no thanks…"

The girl smiled and looked toward the count with a glance of concern.

"…May I at least ask your name good sir?"

"……Blumie….Count Bleck…"

The girl curtsied to the count.

"…Count Bleck…if I cannot repay you with something than please…please allow me to stay by your side until I can repay my debt to you…"

Count Bleck snickered and looked at his guest.

"………Then you must know what I do…My name is Count Bleck, and I am destined as the one spoke of in the Dark Prognosticus, to destroy all worlds! Now choose you must Madame, join or run! For my path shall be a straightforward one! I will not defy my destiny!"

The girl took a long moment of silence.

Count Bleck looked the girl up and down before turning away and picking up the book. He tipped his hat back into place, lifted the book to float by his side, readied his cane and turned toward the exit.

As he slowly walked past the girl she spun around to him.

"W-Wait!" she cried running after him.

Count Bleck smiled as he and the girl walked through the door together.

"My name is Nastasia…."

Count Bleck grinned as the door shut behind him; he turned toward a stair to a large tower with many rooms. As he reached the top of the stair the girl was at his heels.

"Welcome, Miss Nastasia," Count Bleck said as he opened the door to the balcony of the tower overlooking the entire castle. "To Castle Bleck….."


	12. Chapter 4 Act 2: Memories

Count Bleck sat in his bedroom, a large room that held a small writing desk with a chair, a large bed, big enough for at least four people, the walls and floor were all black stone, or at least it looked like stone. The bed had a large sheet and comforter of the purest midnight, and the desk was covered in papers, as was the floor. Each paper was curled up into a ball and tossed around, rejected ideas for something.

Count Bleck was writing on a large sheet of paper with a ballpoint pen, suddenly he screamed and scratched what he had been writing out, and threw the pen and the paper across the room. He rubbed a gloved hand across his brow in an agitated quiver.

The Count then looked over at a small easel that was propped against the wall, on it was the painting of a girl. She had long hair and wore a green dress; she was smiling and looked peaceful. The painting had been finished, but the count had continued to work on it.

Count Bleck sighed as he looked at it.

"….Timpani……..oh how I miss you…"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Merlon and Tippi, the pixilated butterfly of Timpani, sat outside Merlon's house in Flipside. Merlon was reading over a book, the large white book that Timpani had seen before, and Tippi was rested on Merlon's shoulder.

After a short moment of silence Tippi spoke.

"Merlon…do you think I will ever get my memory back?"

Merlon smiled a fatherly smile that blended with hiss white hair made him look like a happy grandfather.

"…Tippi my dear, I'm certain your memory will return…just give it time…just give it time…"

Tippi relaxed and remained on Merlon's shoulder when her mind began to race. She saw a green field with many trees; she stood on a large stone bridge looking toward a mountain. A figure was falling from it, he wore a top hat, cane, cape, and he fell onto the ground below.

Tippi seemed to squint into her own memory, trying to see the figure better. She tried to match a name to the figure, but it was no use…

"……..Merlon?" Tippi said again in a quiet voice.

Merlon looked toward the pixl and smiled again.

"…How do you remember someone…like their name? I know what they look like…but…I don't know their name or really who they are…they just…feel important…"

Merlon closed the book and stood.

"…Time Tippi…only time…"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Count Bleck stood in his throne room; a large black blank room filled with nothing aside from a few platforms for standing and a few clocks and stained windows. A dull white torchlight lit the room, casting an ominous glimmer around each face and figure in the room.

Across from the count was Nastasia, she stood holding a handful of files. Now that she had decided to work for Bleck until she repaid the debt she had taken the duty of being a sort of secretary, she kept track of everyone and everything so Count Bleck could remain on schedule.

"…Um…Count?" Nastasia asked.

"…Yes Nastasia? Asked Count Bleck."

Nastasia used her free hand to push her glasses up and bore a nervous look about her. She took the files and laid them down onto the floor. Count Bleck lifted his cane and a table rose from the floor under the files.

"…Um…well…this plan of yours…"

"You mean destroying all the worlds?" Count Bleck asked as he stood with his back turned to her, reading over the Dark Prognosticus.

"…Yeah…um…just how are you going to do it?"

Count Bleck stopped reading for a moment and glanced over his shoulder to her. A dark smile grew on his face as he thought over his wonderful plan.

"…I am going to use the powers of the Dark Prognosticus, the book that holds all the powers of the future, to create a void to destroy all worlds. It will devour each one and leave a blank blackness…..so is my heart…."

Nastasia was taken aback, she had never heard the plan, let alone how emotional the count had became about it.

"…Um…er…why?" Nastasia asked, in her usual nervous tone. She realized that Count Bleck was sweet, kind, handsome, but also dark, evil, and a shred of cruelty if need be. So still she kept her distance.

Count Bleck suddenly slumped slightly in his stance, he looked tired suddenly. He turned away from Nastasia again and sighed deeply, a sad tone filled his voice as he spoke.

"…….A girl…." Count Bleck said as a tear began to form in his eyes.

Nastasia stepped closer to the count. "A girl?"

Count Bleck sighed again.

"….She was young…beautiful…we were meant to be with each other…but…my father said that we could never be together…still I tried to see her…and…in the end….my father used his magic to make her roam all the worlds, never to stop, until she died……and….I lost her…" the count paused as Nastasia took it all in and looked as though she may cry as well.

Count Bleck sighed as tears flowed freely down his face, he could no longer hold them back.

"…and so….I vowed to her that if I couldn't find her…than…I would destroy the worlds…the worlds took her from me, so I shall take them away…and without them, I will use that blank slate to make a new world. A peaceful world…were love……" the count paused again, as if to catch his breath.

"…were love can exist with no one to stop it…..a perfect world…for all to live in……."

Nastasia smiled at the thought of a perfect world. But Count Bleck took no notice of her and began to glumly walk away.

"…C-Count Bleck!" Nastasia yelled to gain his attention.

Count Bleck had reached the door by now and muttered a whisper of words.

"…Yes…Nastasia…"

Nastasia walked forward and smiled at him.

"…Thank you Count Bleck…and…I just want you to know…I'm with you till my games are over, K'?"

Count Bleck chuckled and smile at his friend….yes….friend….she was his first friend as Count Bleck.

"…Thank you Nastasia……thank you…"


	13. Chapter 4 Act 3: Mimi, a girl of smiles

Nastasia was standing in the large throne room, which had been converted into a meeting room, on a large platform. Count Bleck stood on another platform higher up than her, looking outside at the purple sky he had created. The blackness of the castle cast an eerie shadow across the Count's features, creating a dark and depressing man.

Today was the day that Count Bleck had planned for, today he and Nastasia were to go into other worlds to find people who hated the worlds…people who wished for the world to be plunged into darkness, people who wished…for the end of all worlds…

Nastasia sighed as she looked at the count, in her head she thought over the story that the count had told her…this girl…was he really doing all of this just because he lost him only love? But Nastasia was just about to ask that question when the count spoke, in a very sorrowful tone.

"…Yes…yes…I am doing this because of her Nastasia…but you need not worry…all will be well soon…with my power, the Dark Prognostics' wisdom, and your…what was it? Ability to control people?"

Nastasia nodded, all though the count had his back turned from her so he could not see, but he went on nonetheless.

"…We will find others that wish this world away…and…it will be destroyed…as told in the Prognosticus…and all of the worlds…all of them will see, just how wrong they are…and a perfect world will be made in their place…and my world will be the center of it! I can see it now, Nastasia, thousands of people from all worlds living together in harmony! Peace, happiness, and undying love for everyone! The world will be…perfect…"

This was the third time that the count had said that in an hour, and Nastasia was begging to think there was something wrong with the count. But then he suddenly burst into a volley of laughter as he turned toward her.

"BLEH HEH HEH HEH BLECK! I'm sorry. Did I repeat myself again Nastasia?"

Nastasia merely nodded with a dull smile on her face.

"Please. Forgive me, it is just…I'm so looking forward to this…now. Where shall we venture first Nastasia?" the count asked as he looked up at the Prognosticus that floated by his side.

Nastasia adjusted her glasses and spoke in a tone that only secretaries used when they spoke to their bosses in person.

"Well…if it suits you count…I thought we may go to a small little…er…well…a small town on the edge of a forest. It has…beautiful scenery…and...um…after a small amount of surveillance there I think there may be someone who may join us. I think…um...her name is Mimi…"

Count Bleck smiled and called out loud, as though his voice could travel to that world.

"Well then Mimi! Today you are to have guests!"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"BY THE WORLDS!" Merlon exclaimed as he dropped the Light Prognosticus that he had been reading.

Tippi fluttered nearby and shrieked at Merlon's outburst. He had been quite until now.

"What is it Merlon?" Tippi asked in a worried voice.

Merlon turned to Tippi with a worried look.

"You said you remember something about this man, that he had some sort of magic, correct?"

Tippi nodded. "Yes…he said something about a Darkness…a Tribe…or…something…I can't remember!"

Merlon smiled at her. "Well you have done a great job my dear. Because the Tribe of Darkness is mentioned in the Light Prognosticus! According to this, there is a second book. A Dark Prognosticus! It was hidden away, for it held the secrets of the history of the world…as well as powerful dark magic. It says that it was given to a group of people who kept it save for years, but the book was stolen by the Tribe of Darkness. The tribe didn't use the book, but they kept it safe. The Light Prognosticus says that one of darkness from the book shall use it to destroy the worlds! If this is true than the sooner you remember that man! The sooner we can stop the prophecy in the Light Prognosticus!"

Tippi jumped in her flight.

"But Merlon! Can I really do something like that?"

Merlon smiled. "No to worry my dear. It says here that there will be four great heroes that will stop the man of darkness. All we have to do is find the Man in Red, Princess so Pure, King of Evil, and Man in Green before the man of darkness does!"

Tippi smiled.

"I will help however I can Merlon…" Tippi said with worry hidden in her voice.

_What if the man of darkness is the man I'm trying to remember…what if…he…is…….._

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Green fields and beautiful red and yellow flowers surrounded the count and Nastasia as they flipped into this world. Everything was bright and happy. Count Bleck frowned at the color, which there was none of in his world. It was blinding almost to see green, red, blue, yellow, pink, and light purple.

Nastasia however didn't mind the colors and smiled slightly as she looked around. Count Bleck frowned as he pulled his cape over his eyes to blot out the light.

"Argh! Why didn't you tell me this place was so bright?" the count said with disgust.

Nastasia smiled.

"I don't mind it that much…"

Count Bleck turned to her and gave her a dark grin.

"Light is bright, bright is life, love is bright! BLECK! Nastasia, you go and find this Mimi, if you don't mind I shall remain over there! Under that tree, where at least there is some darkness!"

The Count slowly walked over to a large leaning willow tree and stood under it, trying to blot out the bright colors that seemed to surround him. Nastasia sighed and shook her head as she walked over to a small yellow house.

She knocked on the door and a voice called from within.

"Come in!" it was a girls voice, not very old, not nearly as old as Nastasia and the count, merely a child to them. Nastasia opened the door and stepped inside.

The inside of the house was just as bright as outside. A large table sat in the center of the room, on it was a tea set with cups all around. Brightly colored chairs sat in four positions at the table. At the north end of the house was a kitchen, to the left was a bedroom, and Nastasia stood in a dining room and living room. All the furniture and walls were brightly colored. It looked like a can of rainbow pain had been dumped onto the entire house. Yellow, pale green, and red were the dominate colors.

A girl in a yellow polka-a-dot dress stood in the kitchen, her back turned, she had two ponytails, one on each side of her head. She was humming a happy tune to herself when Nastasia spoke.

"…um..Hello!" Nastasia said.

The girl turned around with a small plate of what seemed like cookies in her hand when she saw Nastasia.

"Oh! Hello! Who are you?" the girl asked in a bright voice.

Nastasia smiled at her as she walked to the table.

"My name is Nastasia, what's yours?" Nastasia asked, trying to start a conversation.

"I'm Mimi."

_Great…_ Nastasia thought,_ the count is just going to LOVE her personality!_

"Oh well Mimi, I came here from a faraway place to see you."

Mimi looked surprised and smiled a sweet smile as she began to sit and pour tea for herself.

"Would you like some tea Nastasia?" Mimi asked.

Nastasia smiled.

"Why thank you." She said in a sweet voice, trying to stay up to Mimi's tone.

Mimi poured a cup of the greenest tea that Nastasia had ever seen. Nastasia could practically smell the sugar that was in it. But swallowing hard she took the cup and drank from it. It was sweet, not just sweet like chocolate, but sweet like an entire bowl of sugar poured into a drink that was made with half a cup of sugar.

_This isn't tea…this is a cup of sugar! _ Nastasia said in her head as she smiled at Mimi, trying to make herself think the tea was good.

"So, why did you come to see me?" Mimi asked after a moment.

Nastasia then switched into the secretary mode that she normally ran in.

"I work for a very powerful man, and he has this dream…"

Mimi nodded that she wanted to hear a little more.

"He…well...um… let's just say that life hasn't been to kind to him, K'. So he has this book that foretells the future, and in it the book tells of a person who will gain great power and create a new world."

Mimi was interested, as she was leaning forward in her chair.

"You see…well…this new world the book talks of is supposed to be perfect. You know, peace, happiness, bright colors, all that stuff. Well the man needs people to help him do this, and I know about what happened to you…" Nastasia said trailing off.

Mimi suddenly frowned at Nastasia but nodded for more.

"So…we…he…needs more people to help him…so we wondered if you would help."

Mimi sat in the chair a long moment. Nastasia had began to wonder after a while if there was something wrong. But then she saw that Mimi was thinking over the option. After a long moment, that seemed to last for weeks of silence, in which Nastasia became very uncomfortable, Mimi spoke.

"So this perfect world is gonna be all happy and peaceful and stuff? Like all smiles and bright colors?"

Nastasia nodded.

Mimi smiled.

"Then let me meet this man."

Nastasia smiled as she and Mimi began to walk out of the house toward the willow tree where the count stood.

_One down…two to go…_


	14. Chapter4 Act 4:Dimentio,a man of mystery

Count Bleck, Nastasia, and new recruit Mimi, all stood under a large willow tree. Count Bleck was trying to deflect the sun's rays from his eyes; this world was just too bright.

Mimi curtsied to the count and smiled.

"Hello." She said with great respect. Count Bleck turned toward her and bowed a deep bow.

"Ah, you must be Mimi. It is very nice to meet you Madame." Count Bleck said with a smile.

Mimi giggled. "What a gentleman."

Nastasia giggled and Count Bleck directed his gaze at her.

"Nastasia!" He bellowed. Nastasia snapped into attention and stepped forward.

"Yes count?" she asked slowly.

"Where are we going next…I wish to leave this world as soon as possible, the colors are giving me a migraine."

Nastasia smiled at the count. "Our next destination is the Underwhere, the place where everyone goes when their game ends…"

Count Bleck suddenly seemed to sadden.

…_..Timpani…please…don't be in the Underwhere…_

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Count, Nastasia, and new recruit Mimi flipped into a large dark chasm, a large fountain was in the center and people were all crowded around it talking. Dark red, purple, black, and white made up the colors of the world, while deep earthy browns and greens covered the cave floors.

All around skeleton guards marched by, wielding lance and shield. Count Bleck smiled as he looked around.

"So dark…so hopeless…so dead…it has a rather…elegant take on death does it not?" the count asked to no one.

"Yes…it's rather…depressing." Mimi said her bright colored dress clashing horribly with the dark colors around her.

Everyone looked around, Nastasia had said that a man named Dimentio would be their next recruit, but there was no one around that looked like how Nastasia had explained.

Everyone suddenly turned as they heard a voice call to them. A woman in a black dress with long white hair was standing over to the side and looked the count up and down.

"…Do I know you?" the woman asked after a time.

Count Bleck turned away, trying to hide his face from the woman.

"No Madame, you must have me mistaken with another." Count Bleck said after a time.

The woman, instead of leaving as the count had hoped, stared at the count longer.

"……Death shall ebe and flow in a tale none shall know, you hold with you powers true. Darkness is your cape, but light is you escape. Leave now! Find your path! Or soon you shall fall to the Books wrath!" sang the woman…it was a Sature.

Count Bleck became outraged and pointed his cane at her, a black cloud enveloped her and she screamed as tendrils of some dark being reached out and clutched to her, trying to kill her.

"I am none! None you know! Stop your rhymes or I will show, just what I am for all to know!" yelled the count. By this time everyone had crowded around Count Bleck, and a group of guards were running up to see what was happening.

Nastasia and Mimi tried to look away, to ignore the screams the woman let out, as well as the others around yelling for the count to stop. Finally Nastasia lost it!

"COUNT BLECK STOP THIS INSTANT! YOU'RE HURTING HER!" Nastasia screamed staring at Count Bleck with a fierce gaze. Count Bleck saw this gaze, and the sorrowful face that Nastasia and Mimi bore, he pulled his cane away from her and his cloak enveloped him again, the woman fell to her knees.

"…….I am sorry….Count Bleck apologized…but please…go away."

The crowd began to thin out. The woman stood and looked at Count Bleck with a old witches grin.

"….As you wish…….Lord Blumiere….." she said walking away.

Mimi and Nastasia exchanged glances before looking at a stunned and suddenly sorrowful face of Count Bleck.

……_Blumiere…..Timpani….That life….seems so long ago…_

Then from behind them came a voice.

"My my, you are quite a formidable man Count Bleck. I shall try and not anger you with my time." Said a voice. Everyone turned and saw a man in purple, black, yellow, and white checkered jesters cloths standing there wearing a masquerade mask and chuckling.

Nastasia stepped forward, between the man and the count.

"Count Bleck, this is Dimentio, he is a magician of sorts." Nastasia said, causing the count to raise an eyebrow in question of this fact. Dimentio saw this and showed his magic, a orb of black nothingness floated around him, which he hurled at a passerby, causing them to scream from the pain of the substance hitting them and seeming to burst into a small spark of flame as it dissipated.

Dimentio then bowed to the count.

"My name is Dimentio, and I hear that you are quite strong, as I have just seen, Count Bleck."

Count Bleck smiled a crooked smile.

"So Dimentio, why would you want to join us in our mission?" Count Bleck asked as he adjusted his monocle.

Dimentio frowned and turned away.

"……People….all of them…everyday you see them…smiling and happy….I hate happiness…I hate it all….people….they are horrid! They all treated me horribly! And…they…….they need to be taught how to appreciate others….others that are…….different."

Count Bleck smiled darkly and looked at Nastasia. Nastasia nodded in agreement and walked over to Dimentio.

"My name is Nastasia, this is Mimi, and you've already met Count Bleck. Come…walk with us." Nastasia said leading Dimentio into the group as the four of them began to slowly walk away, into the darkness of the Underwhere…into the darkness that seemed to fill Count Bleck's heart.


	15. Chapter 5 Act 1: Memories of Love

Count Bleck sat alone in his bedroom, more balls of paper littered his floor, each one was a poem wrote about Timpani, and each one was rejected by the count. Count Bleck was sitting on the edge of his bed with his head in his white gloved hands, frustration streaked his face.

Timpani…she was gone from all worlds, the count was sure of it. Without Timpani…the count had no reason to hold himself back. A dark claw seemed to close in around the count's mind, trying to crush that last shred of light and love from it. Blackness…darkness…fear….Bleck was becoming these things…and soon…nothing could pull him back from what he had done. He had killed his father, destroyed his homeland, created a new world, and hired minions to help him destroy all worlds…darkness had taken the once gentle Blumiere and seduced him into a dark slumber that now was Count Bleck.

Count Bleck slowly stood and walked to his desk, pen in hand, and wrote onto a piece of paper the following.

Light, a powerful plight

Darkness, a wondrous friend

But all things shall soon end.

A book of dark, a man of light,

Destroyed by might,

Tempted by thee.

Memories cannot be forgotten,

Nor may sins be forgiven,

For such as my fate.

I am a fool,

A fool of the dark,

But you…you stole my heart.

I searched for you then,

I yearn for you now,

But you are't gone,

But thou hast not broken,

They love for me?

I love thee still,

But he was killed,

All that remains is a shell to tell,

The story of the darkness to come,

Timpani…I love thee.

The count looked over these words, and screaming in frustration took the pen and paper and threw them at the door. At this instant the door opened and Nastasia was struck by both pen and paper.

"OH!" Nastasia yelped as the pen struck her forehead, leaving a small black ink mark. Count Bleck saw this and quickly stood, ran over to his bed and slammed down a small picture onto the counter, so Nastasia wouldn't see it.

Nastasia, rubbing the mark, walked up to the count.

"…Um…Count?" Nastasia asked in a concerned voice, that of a friend.

"What!?" bellowed Count Bleck in a sharp tone.

"…Um…Are you ok? I heard you scream and thought…something might be wrong…"

Count Bleck hid his face from her, looking out the small round window in his room. The white light from the moon cast a crescent across his face, showing a small tear flow down his right cheek. Nastasia saw this, and almost gasped.

"……..I am fine…..please….leave me….muttered Count Bleck…"

Nastasia remained in the room, Count Bleck didn't turn around. Nastasia turned and lifted the picture frame. Quickly Count Bleck slammed his hand down on hers, and slapped the picture out of her hand, it went skidding across the floor, Nastasia looked at the count in fear.

"I SAID LEAVE ME! NOW!" Bellowed Count Bleck, not far from her face. Nastasia tensed up and backed away.

Quickly Nastasia made her way to the door, ran out, and slammed it behind her. Count Bleck slumped to the floor with shock on his face.

"No…..what's wrong with me?....Nastasia has been so kind…why did I just….why can't I?....just…………..WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME!" Count Bleck cried to himself as he fell into a heap on the floor.

Nastasia stood outside the door listening.

"…….I must do it…….I must read the book…….I must end this all soon….this darkness….it's taking hold of me…I….I can't let it win…I must find her…Timpani…I know somewhere…she's out there….I must find her!"

Nastasia sighed and walked toward her room, three doors down on the right side of the hall, as she did she noticed Dimentio was standing at the end of the hall looking out the window.

Nastasia paid him no mind as she walked on, but Dimentio chuckled and spoke.

"It seems our dear count is having a small problem." Dimentio said with a smirk.

"…….He is fine." Nastasia said.

Dimentio chuckled again. "So you say…and yet still he weeps to himself, like a child whose candy was stolen. Why do you not go and help him? Why do you not ask his help? He is troubled by what he has done. Go…help him……protect his last strand of pure mind." Dimentio said in an almost poetic tone.

Nastasia smiled at him.

"……Dimentio."

"Yes, Ms. Nastasia?"

"………….Go away…." Nastasia said in a firm tone.

With that Dimentio was away, but not before saying one last thing.

"….Life is but what is chosen. He has chosen darkness, now you must chose Madame? Are you in? Or out?"

Nastasia slowly walked into her room and shut the door.

_Dimentio is right….Something troubles the count….his past? What he did to that woman in the Underwhere? Or is it….what he is trying to do that troubles him?_

Nastasia heard a loud moaning cry or sorrow emit from the counts room.

Inside his room Count Bleck was looking at a picture he had painted of Timpani, he was running a gloved hand down his painting as he though of Timpani.

_Timpani…so beautiful…so pure….so loving….so kind….please….forgive me my dear….please do not hate me for what I have become……_


	16. Chapter 5 Act 2: Strength of a General

AUTHOR NOTE:

O'Chunks is going to be speaking in his Scottish accent, so it may be hard to understand for some of you. I'm sorry…if you have any trouble understanding what he says please tell me in a message or review and I shall send you what he says in normal English. I say this because I know many people who have trouble reading different accents.

Thank you

Megaman Trigger 2.0

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nastasia, Dimentio, Mimi, and Count Bleck all stood in a large "Planning Room" awaiting the instructions that the Count would read from the Dark Prognosticus.

Count Bleck cleared his throat, and everyone looked his way.

"...Intelligence, Darkness, Imposter, you three are these things." Count Bleck said to his minions. "But there is one more…one more that is mention of in the Dark Prognosticus. Power, dim of mind, but great in power. We need one more member, a strong powerful and dimwitted one." Count Bleck said with a chuckle.

Nastasia looked at Mimi and Dimentio, who stood on the other side of the room; she stood next to the count. Dimentio had an inquisitive look on his face; Mimi had the same happy smile she always had.

Count Bleck looked over a few more lines, which he didn't read, and shut the book. Nastasia adjusted her glasses and looked at the count.

"So…um count?" Count Bleck looked off toward the others with a confident look.

"Yes?" Count Bleck asked slowly, pointing his monocled gaze at Nastasia.

"…So does the Prognosticus say where we find this next member?"

Count Bleck smiled slightly and opened the book again.

"….A place were fame is won, not by intelligence or words, but by strength and speed…" Count Bleck read from the book.

Mimi looked confused. "Why can't the book just tell us where the next member is, and who he is!?"

Dimentio shook his head. "The book can see the future, yes, but it cannot see every detail, only the important ones."

Count Bleck chuckled. "Good Dimentio, it seems you know some of the book. But let us go, Nastasia!"

Nastasia stepped forward. "Yes count?"

"…I am not going to travel with you…take Mimi and Dimentio…and find this next member…" Count Bleck said in an almost sad tone.

Nastasia looked stunned. "B-But count! How will we know if we got the right man!?"

Count Bleck gave Nastasia a look…it was strange….it looked almost like a gaze a father would give his daughter when he was proud of her.

"…You will know Nastasia….you will know…" With that Count Bleck left the room, by flipping again. Dimentio yawned and Mimi adjusted her dress. Both of them looked…board.

"Well Nastasia, where are we going?"

Nastasia thought for a moment……..then it hit her!

"I know a place where we just might find our new recruit…" With that Nastasia, Mimi, and Dimentio were gone.

Silence filled the dimly lit halls of Castle Bleck, Count Bleck sat in a large room much like his father's Throne Room. On the north wall was a painting of his father, next to it was a painting of his mother, below that was a painting of him as Blumiere. Count Bleck sighed, which slowly turned into a growling scream. He grabbed the painting of himself and threw it into a large fireplace that billowed forth white flame. Count Bleck laughed madly as he placed a new painting, of him…as Count Bleck.

"…….May all stare into the sky and despair…for the end of all worlds is soon to be at hand…..Bleh…heh heh BLECK!"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fields of green billowed from gusts of wind that blew down across the large valley encased by endless seas of blue mountains on all sides. In the center of the valley was a city, large a beautiful…but on the northern mountains sat cities of dirt and foul people.

Nastasia, Mimi, and Dimentio all flipped into the world underneath a large tree. Nastasia and Mimi gasped and Dimentio merely looked stunned. All around them lay bodies of people and bodies of different creatures.

All sorts of creatures that Nastasia had seen before lay around them. Squigs they were called, small square pink figures that spat forth stones. They lay all around accompanied by bodies of people as well.

One man stood alone, wearing red and black, in the center of the debris from what seemed to be a battle. Nastasia and Dimentio approached him, while Mimi sat under the tree with a fearful look.

"…Hello…" Nastasia said to the figure.

The figure turned, he had red hair and a scruffy red beard. He was large, built quite massively, and looked a little…….stupid.

"Eh who are ye?" asked the figure in a powerful Scottish accent.

"I'm Nastasia…and um…this is Dimentio." Nastasia said in a happy voice.

"And the girl over there is Mimi." Dimentio finished with a smirk.

"Me names, O'Chunks…General O'Chunks…" said the Scottish man.

Nastasia smiled. "General…what happened here?"

O'Chunks turned away from Nastasia and wore a look of disbelieve as well as sorrow.

"Tis was me turn at Generaling de forces… I tis in bad shape…all me men is……"

"How did this happen? You have so many men…um…couldn't you have won?" Nastasia asked, noticing that Mimi had returned to the group.

"….No…I led te troops, thousands of em, across de lines o the enemy…but da advisors…de sold me out…de told the enemy…and we was beaten…"

Nastasia looked around, shocked to see so many had fallen. Then she noticed that all the troops, on good and bad, had fallen.

"But it looks like a draw to me." Nastasia said.

"…BAH! Dere be no such a ting as draw! I ever win! Or me lose! And me lost!"

Nastasia opened her mouth to speak when everyone heard a voice interrupted them.

"…You wish to strike back at them don't you General? You want to show them the pain they caused you. You want to take the battle to there door. You want to show just how strong you are! You want to make the advisor pay for what he did, causing so many to Game Over so soon in life."

Everyone spun around to see Count Bleck standing behind them. Mimi and Nastasia curtsied and Dimentio bowed.

"Hail Count Bleck!" they all said in unison.

O'Chunks backed away a steep.

"Ey! Who are ye!?" O'Chunks yelled to the count.

Count Bleck tipped his hat and bowed.

"My name is Count Bleck, Monsieur O'Chunks, and you seem to be in a little bit of trouble. I'm sure you wish you could have stopped this from happening."

O'Chunks looked confident as he glared at the count.

"Now listen ere! Dem tings ye said about te getting back at de Advisor! What ye be doing, readin me thoughts!?"

Count Bleck chuckled.

"I can see the anger that has swelled up inside you…I can see how much you hate that Advisor…I can see how much you cared for your men. I, we, have the power to destroy worlds! Let alone a simple Advisor! We wish to ask you services, Monsieur O'Chunks. We have a plan for a perfect world, of peace and everlasting happiness, but we need someone dedicated and strong like you to help…"

O'Chunks looked away from the count as he spoke.

"…So ye sayin…dat if me joins ye….me could do somtin about all me men dat had dere Game Overs."

"Look at it this way, you have lost your sense of pride. The Advisor took away your men, he took away your power! But…if you join us…not only can you stop the advisor from doing it again…but think of all the people you could help be creating a perfect world! A WORLD WITHOUT WAR!" Count Bleck yelled excitedly.

O'Chunks thought over it a moment. Nastasia and Dimentio both looked at the count, Mimi backed away. Count Bleck's smile began to fade. Then as O'Chunks spoke…the smile returned.

"…..If what ye say be ture…den….sign me up Count!" O'Chunks said putting his hand out to be shook. Count Bleck took it, with one hand on his hat and a dark smile across his face.

"Please to have you aboard…..O'Chunks………….heheh…..hehe….."


	17. Chapter 6 Act 1: Birth of a Chaos Heart

"It is time…to call forth the void…to end all worlds…it was time…for the beginning of the end….all worlds would feel the pain and sorrow slumbering in the ice cold heart of Count Bleck." Muttered Count Bleck to himself as he stood in a large wedding chapel he had created. White wedding ribbon and carpet was everywhere. A large alter sat in the center, on each side a large stair, where thousands would gather to watch the union of the "Princess of Pure Heart" and the "King of Evil".

O'Chunks and Mimi were working together to hang a large banner on one of the walls, meanwhile Nastasia was surveying the work they were doing. Dimentio was on an assignment, and Count Bleck merely looked out the large stained glass window looking out over his world.

_Timpani……if only you could be here….if only we could be together…..just think, we could be married…happy…together….forever….._

Nastasia yelled at O'Chunks when he fell off the ladder and knocked a large banner, next to the one they just hung, down onto the ground. Count Bleck flinched, but remained looking out the window.

"Nastasia….peace, please…." Count Bleck said in a tone that Nastasia had only heard once, when he spoke about "The girl".

Nastasia nodded. "Yes count…"

O'Chunks and Mimi hurried off as Nastasia fixed the banner, then Dimentio ported into the room.

"The deed is done my count, soon the Princess and the King will be together in the room, and they will be ours!" Dimentio said in a happy, and proud voice.

Count Bleck smirked.

…_.Timpani…if only…you were still alive….I know…you must be dead…it is the only…logical explanation as to why I couldn't find you….but….I love you Timpani………_

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tippi screamed as she woke with a start.

Merlon jumped from his chair and spun around with a concerned look.

"Tippi! What's wrong?"

Tippi looked around her.

…_.I'm not dead….That dream…it was so vivid….I guess that's just what it was, a dream……but…that name….I must find his name!_

"…Merlon…It's nothing. I just had a bad dream, that's all."

Merlon nodded.

"….Alright…good night Tippi."

Tippi sighed. "Good night….Merlon…."

_The man….what is his name!?_

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A woman in a pink dress with long blonde hair stood in a large round room of pure black. Across from her stood a turtle-like creature with a green shell and red hair.

"…Well? The letter said that I was to meet you here for something. What is it you want Bowser?" The girl asked.

"WHAT! No! The letter told me to meet you here! So what do you want Peach?"

Both looked confused, until suddenly they became engulfed in a strange energy, they felt as though they were flying as they were flipped away.

A few moments later the girl awoke to a sound.

"Princess…..Princess…….awaken Princess…." Said a voice, a gentle voice.

Princess Peach slowly opened her eyes to see a man in a large cloak with a top hat, monocle, cane in hand, and gloves on both hands smiling at her.

"Ugh! Where am I?"

Peach slowly stood and was astonished to see she was wearing a wedding dress, and across from her was….BOWSER!

"BOWSER! WHERE ARE WE! WHAT'S GOING ON!?"

Bowser smiled and turned toward a crowd of "Koopa Troopa" his army.

"Why, is it not obvious my dear, this is your wedding." Said the man in the white cloak.

"Wedding! WHAT!? TO BOWSER! NO!"

Bowser laughed.

"Hey, I have no objections on this side of the alter! Now don't worry Peach, I'll be a great husband! We'll be really happy together!"

Peach grew angry and yelled, stomping her white shoes onto the white tile.

"NO! I AM NOT MARRYING BOWSER! AND THIS DRESS IS AWFUL! I WANT TO GO HOME NOW!"

A woman, who looked like a secretary, stood next to the man in white and shook her head.

"Now now princess, don't be rude. Count Bleck has worked really hard to do this for you, there's no need to insult him by making a mockery of your wedding."

Count Bleck, the man in white, cleared his throat.

"Now, may we begin. Bowser, king of the evil Koopas, do you take Peach, Princess pure of heart, to be your wife till your games be over?"

Bowser smiled.

"YES!"

The Count chuckled and turned to Peach.

"Princess Peach, pure of heart, do you take Bowser, king of the evil Koopas, to be your husband till your games be over?"

Peach slammed her foot down and threw down the bouquet she realized she was carrying.

"NO I DO NOT!" She yelled.

Count Bleck frowned.

"…..Princess…please……..let us try again. Do you take Bowser to be your husband till your games be over?" the count asked with more venom in his voice than before.

"NO!" Peach yelled.

The secretary sighed and adjusted her glasses.

"That is enough! Now listen! The count worked hard to do this! So, I'm going to need you to say, Yes ,K?"

Peach stomped her foot again.

"N-O! THAT MEANS NO WAY!"

Count Bleck gave the secretary a grave look and muttered to her.

"…Chaos Heart….it grows near…..make her say it….Nastasia….make her say yes!"

Nastasia adjusted her glasses and snapped her fingers, a beam of yellow energy slammed into Peach, knocking her to the ground.

"Now listen! I'm going to need you to say yes!" Nastasia yelled.

Peach squirmed and tried to fight the overwhelming power over her.

"……..N…..N….O…..N-O……"

Nastasia stomped her foot and the beam struck again.

"SAY IT!"

"………………..Yes………"

Suddenly the room started to shake and light of black and white bounced around the room. The pedestal in the center of the room began to shine a crimson red and a strange figure began to rise from it, it was black as night with streaks of white in it.

"YES! BLEHHEHEHEHEHE BLECK! THE CHAOS HEART! IT LIVES!" Bellowed Count Bleck, Nastasia clapped her hands as she saw the happy grin on Count Bleck's face.

…_I'm so glad the count is happy……but at the cost of all their lives?_

Suddenly a figure in green jumped up to the pedestal.

"STOP!" shouted the man.

Bowser and Peach paid him no mind, nor did the count, but Nastasia yelled at him.

"NO! STOP! IF YOU INTERUPTED THE…….."

It was too late…the man in green jumped and struck the heart, sending a loud shattering noise around the room. Everyone screamed as a blinding light and a powerful explosion struck them all. Count Bleck grabbed Nastasia, just in time, and pulled his cloak over her to shield her.

The light faded and Nastasia and Count Bleck stood before a black heart.

"…..Nastasia….do you know what this is?" asked the count in a voice of a child at Christmas.

"…..The Chaos Heart…." Said Nastasia in disbelieve.

"…It is mine…all mine….the Void….all worlds will fall…….We've done it Nastasia…the End of All Worlds is at hand!"

Count Bleck opened his cloak and the heart floated toward him, he held it before him with the Dark Prognosticus open to a page.

"Darkness sleeping in the heart of Chaos! As written in the Dark Prognosticus, I am Count Bleck! Your master and servant! Arise darkness! Open your mouth, and drown all worlds in the Void of your suffering heart! SHOW THEM MY PAIN!"

The Chaos Heart and the Dark Prognosticus shined a deep purple and Count Bleck laughed a laugh that sent a shiver down Nastasia's spine.

…_.Count….Is this truly who you are? Where you always this kind of man?_

"BLEHHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEBLECK! LET ALL WORLDS DROWN IN FEAR! LET THEM ALL SEE MY POWER AND DESPAIR! I AM YOUR MASTER! I AM YOUR SERVANT! KILL THEM ALL! BRING THEM THE'RE GAME OVERS!"

In every world, all over all the lands and dimensions, a large purple and black void appeared. Slowly it grew….slowly it destroyed all….the only thing left unscathed was Castle Bleck, the home of Count Bleck and his minions, and the towns of Flipside and Flopside….all worlds would die….all people would die….it was the end….the End of All Worlds…….

But four heros would rise up.

Red hero, forgotten green, powerful king, and peaceful princess, together with a team of Pixls, and a rainbow butterfly, the worlds would be saved…….but how much time do we have….when the future isn't even known to the gods….

Count Bleck looked out on all worlds with his monocled gaze.

…_..Good bye Timpani…..I love thee….._

THE END….

"…Timpani…marry me, and I'll take you away to a place we could be together…I promise."

"Blumiere……yes…..take me away…."

AUTHOR NOTE:

Hello everyone.

I hope you enjoyed my story….

If you have any questions, or would like me to change anything please tell me.

I hope to see you all soon on the reviews, and goodbye.

Megaman Trigger 2.0


End file.
